COLUMBUS, Ohio The two-time defending Big Ten tournament champion Ohio State men’s tennis team took the first step toward retaining its title when it beat No. 55 Iowa, 4-0, Friday at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Center in Iowa City. The Buckeyes improve to 30-1 on the season. The 30 wins ties the school record for wins in a season (2006-07).

Ohio State now has won 37-consecutive Big Ten matches and is 88-5 in its last 93 contests, including the postseason. Head coach Ty Tucker improves to 17-5 in the Big Ten Championship.

The Buckeyes began the match by claiming the doubles point. Justin Kronauge and Drew Eberly, ranked No. 19 in the country, paired up at the No. 2 doubles spot and downed Gregory Holm and Patrick Dwyer by a 8-5 score. The 13th-ranked tandem of Steven Moneke and Bryan Koniecko beat Bart Van Monsjou and J.P. Ritchie at the top doubles spot, 8-4.

Koniecko, a native of Long Island, N.Y., led Van Monsjou at the top singles spot by a 6-4, 4-4 margin. Kronauge, who is ranked No. 22, led his match at No. 2 singles. The Buckeye sophomore from Centerville, Ohio, was winning 6-4, 4-3, against Bierich. Eberly split the first two sets with Gregory Holm at No. 6 singles.

Ohio State will face the winner of the Michigan/Penn State match at 11 a.m. ET Saturday in the semifinals. Ohio State has won the tournament in 2001, 2006 and 2007.